Portable bobby pin opener



Patented Feb. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

PORTABLE BOBBY PIN O ENER.

Joseph Stephen Young, New Orleans, La. a

Application March 21,

4 Claims.

This invention pertains to instruments used for spreading hairpins, andis especially adapted for spreading the conventional hairpin commonlytermed bobby pin."

Under the conventional practice of using bobby pins there is dimculty inspreading the tines of the pin, especially when one hand is occupied,for example, to hold the hair in the position to which it is intended tobe pinned. Under these circumstances one hand remains available tospread the tines of the pin. As a result of this there is the commonpractice to wedge the finger nail between the tines, or to bite betweenthe tines. Another practice is to use the garment fabric, or an edge ofthe dresser furniture, as instrumentalities to spread the tines with onehand. The various disadvantages of these prior art practices areobvious. Finger nails are broken, teeth injured, clothing torn orfurniture scarred. The device of the present invention is calculated toobviate these disadvantages.

In its essential elements the invention comprises a member providing aplurality of surfaces disposed in a specific manner with reference toeach other. Two surfaces are disposed at an angle to meet along an edgeto form a wedge. A third surface provides a guide surface for a tine ofthe bobby pin and is so positioned relative to the wedge that, as thetine is guided along the surface towards the wedge, the edge of thewedge enters between the tips of the tines. Continued movement of thebobby pin causes the wedge to spread the tines, opposite surfaces of thewedge actuating the respective tines away from each other, and one tinepassing between the guide surface and the contiguous surface of thewedge.

This construction can be incorporated into any of severalinstrumentalities. In the embodiment shown it is made an integral partof a tray for containing hobby pins, the entire structure being suchthat it can be positioned conveniently on a dressing table in positionfor ready use as an aid to dressing hair. 1

The invention has been expressed in general terms. For details ofconstruction of the preferred embodiment shown, attention is directed tothe accompanying drawing in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of thedevice; and

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional elevation taken longitudinally of thedevice.

As illustrated in the drawing, the device comprises surfaces 8 and Idisposed at an angle to each other. The particular angle of inclination1940, Serial No. 325,205

between the surfaces 6 and I may vary within wide limits withoutdetracting from the contemplated operation of the device. It is ofprimary importance that the surfaces 6 and I intersect along a line8forming an edge of a wedge. 5

Cooperating with the wedge formed by the surfaces 6 and I is the guidesurface 9 which extends toward the wedge, which-terminates at an edge l0spaced away from the edge 8. The surface 9 may be diversely disposedwithin wide limits relative to the respective surfaces 6 and 'l, andrelative to the wedge formed by the surfaces 6 and I. To determine moreprecisely the position of the guide surface 9 relative to the wedge, thesurfaces 6 and 1 comprising the wedge may 15 be considered as indicatinga direction, in a manner similar to an arrow, see Figure 2. The guidesurface 9 is away from the wedge disposed in a position determined bythe direction indicated by the wedge so that, as a bobby pin is 20 slidacross thesurface 9 toward the wedge it is precisely guided forengagement with the edge 8 of the wedge. The primary importance is thatthe edge Ill be spaced away from the edge 8 laterally of the wedgeformed by the surfaces 6 25 and 1 sufficiently for the edge 8 to passbetween the tines of a bobby pin.

In operation the surface 9 is engaged by one tine ll of the hobby pinII, which is shown in dot and dash lines in Figure 2. The bobby pin 30may engage the surface 9 at any place in its area which is made wide asshown for the purpose. and the pin is thereupon drawn across the surface8 with the tips l5 and ii of the tines II and I4 directed toward thewedge 8, i. 35 With the bobby pin so guided the edge 8, because of itsposition relative to" surface 9 and the edge ID, will find positionbetween the tips 15 and IQ of the bobby pin when the pin reaches thewedge. The surface 9 is positioned-relative 0 to the wedge 6, 'Ilaterally the proper amount to attain this purpose.

As the hobby pin continues movement toward the wedge, the respectiveedges 6 and I wedge between the tines Ii and i4 and spread them ,5 apartin the manner illustrated in Figure 2. The tine ll passes below thesurface I and between the surfaces 1 and ii. The tine it passes abovethesurface 6. The surface I! is opposite the surface I and spaced awayfrom it a sufso ncient distance to permit the tine II to pass freelytherebetween. The surface I! merges with the surface 9 along the linel0, which may be sharply defined, or may be rounded off to a greater orlesser extent. The detail of construction of I greatest importance isthat the edge III is spaced away from the edge 8 longitudinally of thewedge suflicient to permit the tine H to pass freely between thesurfaces 1 and H.

faces i and II, which, according to this manner of producing the device,are spaced parallel to each other.

The block is formed with a recess i9 convenient for use as a container.for a supply of bobby pins. Incident to this use, the bottom surface ofthe recess I9 curves upwardly at 20 toward the top of the block toprovide an unbroken surface for ready removal of the bobby pins.

The block may be formed of any suitable material, and may include alower rest surface 2|. The surface 20 is preferably equipped to preventits sliding across the surface of furniture on which the device rests.For example, and as shown, a thickness of material 22 with clingingproperties may be applied to the under surface 2|. In the incident casesponge rubber has been employed as the material for the element 22.

It will readily be seen that the invention is susceptible of a number ofmodifications departing from the specific structure shown in thedrawing, without detracting from the spirit of the invention or itsscope, which is determined by the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

1. A device for spreading the tines of bobby pins, comprising a pair offixed surfaces disposed at an angle to each other and meeting along anedge to form a wedge, a cooperating guide This is accomplished surfacefixed with reference to the pair of surfaces and disposed away from thewedge in a position indicated by the direction of the wedge, the

guide surface being spaced away from the edge of the wedge laterally ofthe wedge sufficiently to direct the tines of the pin on opposite sidesof the edge of the wedge when a tine is slid across the guide surface,the guide surface being spaced away from the edge of the wedgelongitudinally of the wedge suificiently to permit the passage of a tinebetween the wedge and the guide surface.

2. A device for spreading the tines of bobby pins, comprising a pair offixed planes disposed at an angle to each other and meeting along anedge to form a wedge, a cooperating guide plane fixed with reference tothe pair of planes and disposed away from the wedge, in a positionindicated by the direction of the wedge, the guide surface being spacedaway from the edge .of the wedge laterally of the wedge sufficiently todirect the edge between the tines of the pin when a tine is slid acrossthe guide plane, and spaced away from the edge of the wedgelongitudinally of the wedge sufficiently to permit the passage of a tinebetween the wedge and the guide plane.

3. In a device as defined in claim 1,'a container for bobby pinsattached to the bobbypin spreading device as a unitary mutuallyassociated structure.

4. A bobby pin spreading device, comprising a block, surfaces formed inthe block disposed at an angle to each other and meeting along an edgeto form a wedge, a guide surface formed in the block extending from theedge thereof and in a position indicated by the direction of the wedge,the guide surface merging with a surface disposed at an obtuse angle,the latter surface disposed opposite and spaced away from one of thesurfaces of the wedge.

JOSEPH STEPHEN YOUNG;

